Cartoonist and the Cartoon watcher : Triambak Sharma
Triambak Sharma presenting lifetime achievement award to the cartoonist and a politician Bala saheb Thackery (2012)
Triambak Sharma (born 5 September 1970) is an Indian cartoonist. He founded Cartoon Watch in 1996, India's only monthly cartoon magazine, which connects well known Indian cartoonists like Abid Surti, R.K.Laxman, Sudhir Tailang, Pran and many others. He established Cartoon Watch Animation Academy in 2009 at Raipur. He is also working on building the first cartoon museum of India in Raipur.
Q. How come you landed in the arts of cartoon, as we all know that you commence your career as a journalist?
Triambak Sharma: I was fond of minimalistic stuff. Not an enthusiast of literature and writing as I found it quite laboured work and with all voluble style and pages that I am anxious about. I wanted to do something which can articulate the feelings promptly and creatively without frittering my time neither the readers! I haven't taken any lesson for cartooning. I was not a cartoonist then when I landed up in this field. The cartoon is always gauged as an additional term but the primary is a punch that every Writer needed. You can say I was god gifted with this skill as I had good punches for every circumstance. This is where my journey began as a cartoonist .
Q.Is there any cartoonist you admire the most in the country or outside the country?
Triambak Sharma: Bala Sahab Thackeray, R.K Laxman and Narayan Shankar are the cartoonists which I admired the most as a cartoonist. Their work was something which I found incredible and greatest of all time.
Q. Can You share one incident with them? How was your experience with them?
Triambak Sharma: Yes, I recalled the time when R.K Laxman called upon Raipur back then in 2003. At that time he stayed for like seven days and we travel around the tourist attractions of Raipur. He was awarded lifetime achievement cartoonist from our CartoonWatch Magazine.I found that he see cartoonist with a different way. According to him, every cartoonist should observe the content through their eyes. Eyes are the camera you have to activate 24/7 for the content and imagination. I felt fortunate to get some moment that I shared with this great person.
The other was Shri Babasaheb Thackrey I visited them in Mumbai. He was a great persona. Throughout his life, he only accepted our lifetime Achievement Award for Cartoonist. It was an honour!
Q. What are your views on current cartoonist that you see day to day newspaper? Do you think that they are able to address the current situation or any issues properly?
Triambak Sharma: I am totally satisfied with their work. I don't have any criticisms nor any questions about their skills. Present cartoonists are doing a fab job.
Q. Is there any place in the city where people can learn more about cartoonist? Please guide the readers.
Triambak Sharma: As I told you earlier that there is no future for cartoons, it implies learning too. There is no special course for this field. A person has to do on their own. They have to formulate punch lines and illustrating skills on their own. Cartoonists nowadays are not getting enough opportunities because it's a temporary job. When the newspaper authority will be needed you only then can earn you your bread and butter. But there are no special skills for this field. It's something that we have learnt since our school days
